Associate Vertical Farm Operator/Program Facilitator

About Impact Justice Impact Justice advances safety, justice, and opportunity through boundary-breaking work that honors and empowers people and is changing expectations about what we can accomplish together. We imagine, build, and scale innovations, leverage research and other knowledge to connect the desire for change with informed action, and work to shift the narrative so that decision-makers and the public understand what’s at stake and what’s possible.  About Growing Justice Growing Justice is a first-of-its-kind reentry and workforce development program, blending vertical farming and classroom instruction with intensive reentry and job readiness support.

Through partnerships with AmplifiedAg, Skout Strategy, and Agritecture, participants gain hands-on training, employment preparation, and wraparound support that positions them for success post-release. Inspired by Impact Justice's 2020 series Eating Behind Bars , which documented the unhealthy and degrading quality of prison food nationwide, Growing Justice also reimagines food justice inside correctional facilities.  In 2026, Growing Justice launched its first vertical farm site in South Carolina at CGGCI.

Growing Justice is also launching two additional sites in the summer of 2026: one at the Central California Women's Facility (CCWFf) in Chowchilla, CA, and another inside Impact Justice's office building in downtown Oakland, CA. Together, these sites expand the reach of Growing Justice, advancing food justice, workforce readiness, and reentry pathways nationwide. You are passionate about supporting people impacted by incarceration and believe deeply in second chances.

You are dependable, organized, and comfortable stepping into an established program to keep operations running smoothly. You enjoy working with people, solving problems, and following systems that support both crop production and participant learning. You may come from a background in agriculture, horticulture, controlled environment agriculture, food justice, education, workforce development, community programming, or related fields.

You are comfortable leading small groups, following established procedures, and maintaining a safe and productive food production system and learning environment. That said, we know there are great candidates who may not think they fit into what we’ve described above or who have important skills we haven’t thought of. If that is you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself! We know that there are great candidates who may not possess all of the skills that we have described.

We would like to hear from you even if you have most (but not all) of the skills listed. We welcome all applicants, including formerly incarcerated individuals, those with family members that have been incarcerated, and persons with direct criminal or juvenile legal system experience.  You will report to the Director of Growing Justice. Your core responsibilities will be: Farm Operations Support Execute daily and weekly farm checklists to ensure safe and standardized farm operations.  Monitor and maintain optimal plant health.

Support seeding, transplanting, harvesting, cleaning, and sanitation activities. Monitor environmental systems, irrigation equipment, and crop health. Follow established food safety, biosecurity, and operational procedures. Assist with inventory management and farm logistics. Identify operational concerns and communicate them to program leadership. Adhere to integration and instruction of all relevant food safety standards.  Classroom Instruction and Participant Support Deliver established lessons using provided slide decks, speaker notes, and activity guides.

Facilitate participant discussions and hands-on learning activities. Maintain a positive and productive classroom environment. Support participant engagement and encourage professional workplace behaviors. Follow lesson plans and instructional schedules developed by the program team. Program Coordination and Communication Maintain communication with Growing Justice staff regarding farm conditions, participant engagement, and operational needs.

Document major activities, observations, and issues during coverage periods. Follow established escalation procedures for facility, safety, or operational concerns. Coordinate with facility staff and program partners as needed. Coverage Responsibilities Provide as-needed coverage for primary farm operator and instructor during the following instances:  Planned vacation coverage. Single-day staff absences. Multi-day staff absences.

Emergency sick leave. Special projects and events. Organizational commitments and activities. Temporary staffing transitions.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in agriculture, horticulture, greenhouse production, food justice, education, workforce development, or a related field.
• Ability to independently follow established systems, procedures, and schedules.
• Experience facilitating groups, teaching, training, or mentoring others.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations and maintain professional boundaries.
• Comfort working within a correctional facility environment.
• Ability to pass all required facility clearance and background requirements.
• Reliable transportation and ability to travel to CCWF in Chowchilla, CA or Impact Justice headquarters in Oakland.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with hydroponics, greenhouse production, or controlled environment agriculture.
• Experience delivering workforce development or vocational training programs.
• Familiarity with food safety and agricultural SOPs.
• Experience supporting justice-impacted individuals.
• Agricultural education, horticulture, or related certifications.
• Personal lived experience with the criminal justice system or reentry process.
• Onboarding Selected candidates will complete a structured onboarding process required by the Correctional Institution and what is required by Growing Justice dealing with operations, curriculum, and participant engagement practices.
• Institutional onboarding will include background checks, a three day CDCR on site training class, and one virtual Joint Ventures training session.
• Growing Justice training will include a review of program curriculum, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and safety protocols, as well as hands-on farm operations training.
• Candidates will shadow program staff for 2–3 days, co-lead both classroom and farm activities, and demonstrate the ability to independently manage a full program day before being activated for coverage assignments.  Consistent with our compensation philosophy, our starting salaries are established to represent strong compensation in the marketplace and to maintain internal equity.
• The starting salary for this position is $32.11 per hour for a candidate based in Chowchilla and $33.80 per hour for a candidate based in Oakland.
• The position is hourly non-exempt and will require a schedule of approximately 5-10 hours per month, with a maximum of 12 hours per month.  If this all sounds like a good fit for you, please include your resume and a one page cover letter explaining why you are interested in the role and why we should be particularly interested in you!  We will be reaching out to those candidates we are prepared to interview on a rolling basis.    Hiring Process  Elements of the Impact Justice hiring process may include phone screen interviews, candidate exercises (written or presentations), Zoom interviews, in-person interviews, and reference checks.
• Candidates are welcome to ask for alternative arrangements in the process if needed (for example, conducting an interview via phone rather than Zoom), Impact Justice will do our best to accommodate reasonable requests.
• Please communicate any alternative arrangements requested to the hiring manager.
• Equal Opportunity Employment Impact Justice provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to race/ethnicity, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, age, criminal history, or disability.